Method and apparatus for biofeedback

Abstract

A method and apparatus for mediating a biofeedback session with a human subject in which measurements of electrophysiological quantities are used to control the presentation to the subject of a series of prestored audio-visual sequences of varying levels of clarity resident on a direct-access video storage device. The sequences are real scenes designed to induce a desired psychological state when viewed. As the subject succeeds in altering his physiological parameters, the clarity of the presented image and sound improve as an indication of success. By using the invention, the subject develops a conditioned response to the scenes and is able to control his physiological parameters even when away from the apparatus by remembering the audio-visual sequences used during treatment.

We claim: 
     
       1. An apparatus for mediating a biofeedback session with a subject, at least one of whose electrophysiological parameters is being measured, comprising: a) means for receiving signals indicative of the measurements of the parameters;   b) audio-visual storage means capable of recalling in any order audio-visual sequences of acoustically and visually degraded versions of a scene, said sequences being prestored in said storage means;   c) control means for receiving said signals and controlling an order of recall of said sequences based on said signals; and   d) audio-visual output means whereby the subject is able to view and hear said sequences.   
     
     
       2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said audio-visual storage means is selected from the group consisting of a videodisc player, and optical digital storage device and a computer with magnetic disk storage. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said audio-visual storage means is a videodisc and said audio-visual output means is selected from the group consisting of a television set, a computer screen and a television monitor with associated loudspeakers. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said audio-visual storage means is a videodisc, said audio-visual output means is a television set and said control means is a digital computer. 
     
     
       5. A method of conditioning a desired psychological response in a subject comprising the steps of: a) monitoring at least one of the subject's electrophysiological parameters indicative of his psychological response; and   b) presenting to the subject a sequence of versions of an audio-visual scene, said versions exhibiting varying audio and visual reality wherein said audio and visual reality are increased as said monitored parameters indicate that the subject's psychological response has become more desirable.   
     
     
       6. The method of claim 5 further comprising the step of: c) repeating steps a and b on distinct occasions until said monitored parameters indicate that the subject has become conditioned to exhibit the desired response to said audio-visual scene.   
     
     
       7. The method of claim 6 wherein the desired psychological state is relaxation and further comprising the step of: d) teaching the subject to perform a motor skill while presenting to the subject said audio-visual scene at a time subsequent to the conditioning, whereby the subject's ability to learn said skill is enhanced by the subject having been conditioned to enter said desired psychological state.   
     
     
       8. The method of claim 6 wherein the desired psychological state is relaxation and further comprising the steps of: d) presenting the subject with material to be learned while presenting to the subject said audio-visual scene at a time subsequent to the conditioning, whereby the subject's ability to learn said material is enhanced by the subject having been conditioned to enter said desired psychological state.   
     
     
       9. The method of claim 5 wherein said audio and visual reality are increased occurs in discrete steps. 
     
     
       10. The method of claim 5 wherein at step b, said increase is in response to a weighted combination of said parameters and said audio and visual reality are decreased as said weighted combination indicates that the subject's psychological response has become less desirable. 
     
     
       11. The method of claim 10 wherein said increase and said decrease in said reality occurs in discrete steps. 
     
     
       12. The method of claim 5 wherein the desired psychological state is relaxation and further comprising the step of: c) teaching the subject to perform a motor skill when the subject's psychological response has become more desirable, whereby the subject's ability to learn said skill is enhanced by the subject's being in said desired psychological state.   
     
     
       13. The method of claim 5 wherein the desired psychological state is relaxation and further comprising the step of: c) presenting the subject with material to be learned when the subject's psychological response has become more desirable, whereby the subject's ability to learn said material is enhanced by the subject's being in said desired psychological state.   
     
     
       14. The method of claims 12, 13, 7 or 8 wherein said improvement in said reality occurs in discrete steps. 
     
     
       15. An apparatus for conditioning a desired psychological response in a subject comprising: (a) means for monitoring at least one of the subject's electrophysiological parameters indicative of his psychological response;   (b) means for determining from the values of said monitored parameters when the subject's psychological response has become more desirable;   (c) means for presenting to the subject a sequence of versions of an audio-visual scene, said versions exhibiting varying audio and visual reality; and   (d) means for controlling said presenting of said sequence so as to display to the subject a scene of increased audio and visual reality when said monitored parameters indicate that the subject's psychological response has become more desirable.   
     
     
       16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said determining means measures a weighted combination of said monitored parameters and said controlling means also displays a scene of decreased audio and visual reality when said monitored parameters indicate that the subject's psychological response has become less desirable. 
     
     
       17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said presenting means further comprises means for increasing and decreasing said reality in discrete steps. 
     
     
       18. An apparatus for mediating a biofeedback session with a subject, at least one of whose electrophysiological parameters is being measured, comprising: a) means for receiving signals indicative of the measurements of the parameters;   b) audio-visual storage medium comprising at least one cluster, wherein each of said clusters comprises a plurality of physically contiguous audio-visual sequences progressively degraded in reality;   c) playback means for retrieving said sequences from said medium;   d) control mean for receiving said signals and controlling an order of retrieval of said sequences based on said signals; and   e) audio-visual output means whereby the subject is able to view an hear said sequences.   
     
     
       19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein said control means is a digital computer, said digital computer further comprising a computer program. 
     
     
       20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein said computer program is a computer program for controlling a biofeedback session in which at least one of said signals is acquired from a subject and version of an audio-visual scene are exhibited to the subject, said versions having varying levels of reality, said computer program comprising: a) means for selecting a combination of said signals to be monitored;   b) means for computing a weighted average of said monitored signals;   c) means for repeatedly selecting one of said versions for exhibition to the subject based upon said weighted average.